Trump's Data Chief's Dismissal of Trump's Alleged Exaggeration of His Statistics
President Donald Trump's approval ratings during the early months of his second term have remained low, with a net approval rating of around -15 to -17, according to several recent polls such as Economist/YouGov and Gallup [1]. This net approval rating is considered low compared to historical presidents at the same point in their presidencies.
The 40% approval figure is higher than some past lows in his first term (as low as 37% in Gallup), but the trend shows a steady decline since his inauguration [1]. The president's approval among independents dropped sharply to near historic lows (~29%), while Republican approval remains high (~83%) [1].
When compared to other presidents at similar times in their presidencies, the information in the search results does not provide explicit rankings or direct comparisons with predecessors. However, a net approval around -15 is considerably low. Historically, most presidents at similar points have had higher net approval ratings. For instance, it is well documented outside these results that presidents like Barack Obama and George W. Bush had net approval ratings closer to zero or positive early in their first terms, whereas Trump’s second term ratings resemble historically unpopular periods.
In an interview, President Trump compared his poll numbers to those of Richard Nixon in his second term. If compared to other second terms, President Trump is in the bottom of the list, with Richard Nixon being in a worse position [2]. This comparison indicates a poor performance in the polls for President Trump.
CNN's chief data analyst Harry Enten responded to President Donald Trump's claims about having the best poll numbers he's ever had. According to Enten, Trump is not at the highest point he's ever been in the polling world [3]. Enten further stated that if compared to other presidents at this point in their presidencies, President Trump is the second lowest on record, only worse than himself [3].
In summary, President Trump's net approval rating is low compared to typical presidents at equivalent points, indicating significant partisan divide and public dissatisfaction, especially among independents, though Republicans largely remain supportive [1]. Specific comparative data for other presidents at the exact timeline within their presidencies is not detailed in the search results.
References:
[1] Gallup Poll: https://news.gallup.com/poll/350012/trump-job-approval-average-40-percent.aspx [2] CNBC Interview: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/01/trump-says-his-poll-numbers-are-better-than-nixons.html [3] CNN Interview: https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2025/02/02/enten-trump-polls-best-ever-cnntv-vpx.cnn
Note: This article is a computer-generated summary and may not include all the details or nuances of the original data.
- The President's net approval rating of around -15, as seen in recent polls, is significantly lower compared to most presidents at similar points in their presidencies.
- In terms of poll numbers, President Trump is currently ranked second lowest among all presidents at the same point in their presidencies, with only Richard Nixon being in a worse position in the second term.
